Azula's Crossroads
by freewolf17
Summary: Azula escapes from the asylum, she manages to escape to the capital of the Earth Kingdom, where she falls ill. Iroh finds her but is he willing to look after and forgive the possibly dying girl who has done so much wrong. rated for future unknown events
1. Chapter 1

_I don't know how I made it, but I did._ Azula thought as she leaned over the railing of the ferry looking out across the lake.

"Hey!"

Azula jumped in surprised.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Shen. You are?" a boy about sixteen inquired.

"What's it to you?"

"Well I told you mine so you tell me yours?"

Azula thought for the minute, trying to recall what her passport said. _Mingmei._

"Mingmei."

"That's a pretty name."

"Thanks."

"Why are you coming to Ba Sing Se?"

"Ran away. Figured it's the one place they won't find me. I mean, there are thousands of people in Ba Sing Se, there's are very little chance they'll find me. Your turn."

"My family died in a fire. Needed a fresh start."

Azula's insides squirmed. "Fire Nation?"

"No, my grandma, in her old age, forgot to put out the fire in the fireplace."

Azula relaxed.

"Why did you run away?"

"Abusive father, divorced parents, when mother was around she dotted on my brother. Now I know she only paid attention to him so much because my father only paid attention to me because I was a fighting prodigy."

"Do you know where your mom is?"

"No, I don't even know if she's still alive."

"Your brother?"

Azula shrugged.

"You have no one?"

"I think I have an uncle in Ba Sing Se. So this the best place to go. I just thought..."

"Good Luck finding him. You said it yourself there are thousands of people in Ba Sing Se so there's a good chance-"

"Thanks for your support." Azula retorted.  
"Sorry."

"At least in the Outer Ring they give homes to new comers for free, well to refugee's anyway." he smiled.

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Well my house did burn down, and it was burned to a crisp while the Fire Nation controlled my village. So I just leave out the grandma factor and free house. I know it's wrong but I have nothing."

"Well looks like we're here." Azula said.

"Well bye." Shen said as they left the ferry.

"Bye."

Azula watched Shen walk away. She felt a flicker of sadness as his figure retreated. She actually found a friend in someone she scarcely knew. _And he was cute. Shut up. _She argued with herself.

She wandered around aimlessly for a while. Then looked carefully down an alley. _Looks safe. Just because it looks safe doesn't mean it is, Earth Benders. I know!!!!!!!!!!_

She held her aching head as she sat in the alley way. Her hair was greasy, her stomach felt like it was going to heave, her breath was ragged and uneven. Then nothing.


	2. The Dream

Azula stood alone in the dark. She hears voices whispering, but can't make out what it's saying.

"Hello?" Azula's voice echoes.

A ring of people appeared around her. _Zuko, Ursa, Ozai, Iroh, Lu Ten, Mai, Ty-Lee_... Their voices echoing around her but their lips didn't move and their faces remained expressionless. The floor turned to lava, and they all sunk into it one by one.

"No! Don't leave me! Don't leave me alone!"

"You're not alone Azula." an old man stood in front of her clad in red fire nation robes, that looked like the style was a hundred years old.

" Fire Lord Sozin... Why are you here? What's going on?"

Sozin chuckled.

"I can understand your confusion, Azula and if you give us the chance I will explain what I can." Sozin said.

"All right explain."

He told her what Zuko had learned from the scrolls. (I didn't feel like typing all of that, so sorry)

"I never knew you two even knew each other." Azula said still in shock from what she was told.

"Yes, we were best friends and I betrayed him." Sozin sighed "I sacrificed my people for my own selfish ambitions. I was foolish power hungry, lost everything, and plunged the world into one hundred years of war. I don't deserve another chance, Azula... Your future was destroyed because of me. I can help you Azula."

She looked at him like she didn't trust him.

"I was sent to take you to the afterlife, Azula"

"So I'm dead." she said matter-of-factly.

"No and yes. You're on the brink of death. Ordinarily yes you would be dead but I owe you a debt of life, Azula. Just as I owed Zuko."

"Owed?"

"Yes, owed, Zuko shouldn't of survived that Agni Kai with his father."

Azula was to shocked to say anything.

"You are at a crossroad, Azula this could be you first in a long time, or it could be your last. One way you die, all your sufferings will be over, no more trials, or hard decisions, pain, it will all be gone."

This idea _actually_ appealed to Azula. Nothing could hurt her after that, no more despair. "The other?"

"You live. Life goes on."  
"Either one I choose I'm going to regret dong at some point. So life, I guess..."

" 'I guess' doesn't cut it. You have to be sure."

"I choose life."

Azula bolted up right, breathing heavily.

"Just a dream, just a dream." she repeated to herself, tears streaking down her face, washing away some of the dirt and grime.

"So, you're finally awake, Azula." man's voice said.

Azula turned her head slowly.

A fat old man sat half way across the room, drinking tea and playing Pi Sho with himself.

"Uncle Iroh?"

Iroh nodded, smiling. "I thought you weren't going to wake up, Azula."

Azula looked around, she wasn't in the Outer Ring that's for sure. The room was elegant, with a giant Pi Sho table, with Order of the white Lotus hangings on the wall, and a rug with the Order's symbol on it under the Pi Sho table.

"Want to play a game?" he asked gesturing at the Pi Sho board, fully ready for a harsh rebuke.

Azula actually smiled, "Sure."

****

I know it's not nearly as long as people would like or I would like but... **CURSE YOU YOUTUBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!** ok not really but it's so distracting. and not the best chap. in the fic. well I'm not sure but I need your opinion help I need reassurance!!! even if you think it's horrible I made a vow to never abandon a fic.


	3. All's Well That Ends Well

**(Azula's Prove)**

It's been 80 years since the comet, my Uncle Iroh died 40 years ago. I inherited the Jasmine Dragon from him. So far I haven't told Zuko yet I'm his sister, as far as he knows I was just a daughter of a Lotus member, who had died in the siege to take back Ba Sing Se. But I don't think I have to tell him, he knows, somehow he just knows.

I married Shen, we had four children, two sets of twins. The first set, a boy and a girl, Iroh and Ursa. The second set, two girls, Lulu and Ten Ten, for my cousin Lu Ten. Iroh and Ursa are Fire Benders, and Lulu and Ten Ten are Earth Benders.

Iroh couldn't be any more like my uncle. Lazy, tremendously gifted Fire Bender, and an even better tea brewer. Ursa is just like my mother, kind, caring, and had a temper when she was pushed too far. Lulu and Ten Ten are rather like my cousin, always ready to protect the family, and pranksters. I don't know how many letters I got from the school's headmaster.

I became close to the Gaang. A family friend. I was always worried that they would find out who I was, but now the I'm reaching the end of my life I find that I wish I had told Zuko myself. I'm still friends with Ty Lee and Mai but as Mingmei not Azula. We seem closer now then we were back then. Probably because now I'm not a psychotic maniac.

Shen knows who I really am. He never cared, he said I could be a sea slug for all he cared. Our children know as well, they also know well enough not to tell anyone.

Whenever the Gaang visits they always have a four way Bending Battle between the kids. We, the parents and grandparents have always had seven simple rules.

Don't Burn Down the Shop

Don't Flood the Shop

Don't Cause and Earthquake that will Destroy the Shop

Don't Blow the Shop Down with a Tornado

Don't Kill Each Other

Have Fun

The Old People can Join in Anytime We Want

Katara and Aang had twelve kids six of each six of them are Air Benders and six of them are Water Benders, there are so many I don't feel like reeling off their names. Sokka and Suki had two, a daughter, Yue and a son, Kyler. Both are Water Benders, Yue is also a Kyoshi Warrior and Kyler is also a master swordsmen. Toph married the Duke and had a daughter, Jade, who is an Earth Bender.

There has been an amazing era of peace as my brother promised. His son Lu Ten has held up the promise well when Zuko retired as Fire Lord. Zuko and Mai also have one daughter. I nearly burst into tears when he looked me dead in the eye when he told me her name, Azula. That's when I knew he and Mai knew. I can only hope this will last.

In my life I've had many crossroads. And I have ignored many. But as Uncle Iroh would have said (and did say) all's well that ends well.

****

I know this story was probably shorter than you thought it would be but I thought it would be longer too. but I thought the plot I had in mind goes better with the fic. I'm starting now


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